


If someone believed me...

by diamond_dusted



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, One Shot, Photography, Post-Canon, it's just pure fluffy gayness idk what else to tell you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:20:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22195426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/diamond_dusted/pseuds/diamond_dusted
Summary: Elsa wakes up in the middle of the night and sees something special that sheneedsto preserve in the form of a photograph.
Relationships: Elsa & Honeymaren (Disney), Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 150





	If someone believed me...

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sage the Soft Queen](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Sage+the+Soft+Queen).



> [Feel free to listen to this for atmosphere while you are reading](https://soundcloud.com/kygo/the-xx-angels-kygo-edit).

Elsa awoke to the sound of creaking wood and something shifting around inside her hut. She rolled over and patted the space on the bed next to her: empty, but still warm. Sleepily, she pushed herself up and stared at the room through half-lidded eyes. The fire had long since burned down to a pile of glowing coals and as far as she could tell, it was still late at night.

"Maren?" she murmured, voice still heavy with sleep.

In answer came the sound of feet shuffling across the floor and Honeymaren stepped out of the shadows into the silvery rays of moonlight that spilled down through the top of the tent.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you," she said quietly, sitting down on the edge of the bed and leaning over to plant a quick kiss on Elsa's cheek, "I just needed a drink of water."

She gazed up at Honeymaren and tried to rub the rest of the sleep out of her eyes. Honeymaren propped herself up with one hand and lifted the other to smooth back some of Elsa's hair, tucking a few loose strands behind her ear. Elsa felt her breath catch in her throat and her heart skip as it always seemed to do whenever her girlfriend did... well, anything really. 

This time, she found herself overwhelmed by the way Honeymaren looked in this particular moment: her figure outlined in light and shadows, skin touched by the soft glow of the moonlight. The way her hair, almost always tied back or braided, now fell loosely across her shoulders and down over her chest. The soft smile that played across her lips.

Elsa's eyes grew wider as an idea suddenly seized hold of her and then she sat up frantically, kicking off blankets and furs while practically flinging herself out of bed. She held up both hands, palms outstretched to Honeymaren and said firmly: "Stay right there. Don't move."

Maren gave her a quizzical look as Elsa scurried over to the other side of the hut and began rummaging through the baskets and bags where she kept most of her belongings. She started pulling things out of her rucksack and tossing them on the floor haphazardly. After a minute, she stopped and victoriously lifted a small rectangular brown box above her head, then hopped back onto the bed and knelt there, setting the box down and starting to undo metal hinges and clasps on it.

"What is that?" Honeymaren asked.

"Anna sent it to me a while ago. A gift she'd gotten from one of Arendelle's trade partners. It's new and very sophisticated, allegedly," Elsa said a look of utter focus and concentration on her face as she folded the front of the box open to reveal an accordion-like structure with a glass lens at the end and an array of brass fixtures to hold it all together. "It's a portable camera. Captures an image and makes it a small copy of it on paper, almost like a drawing."

"Wow. How does it even work? Is it magic or something?" Maren asked, leaning over to watch Elsa finish assembling the camera, sliding the various pins and components into place.

"That depends on who you ask," Elsa said with a sly smile and a shrug of her shoulders, "But no, it's just science. It uses light and works the same way our eyes do."

"Ok. But why do you need it?"

"Because," Elsa paused to lift the camera and point it in Honeymaren's direction, "I saw something beautiful and I want to remember it forever. Hold still, just like that."

Honeymaren smiled sheepishly and turned away, "You want to remember me like this? Elsa I'm not even wearing any... well..."

She gestured down to herself and her present state of total undress, then raised an eyebrow at Elsa.

"Trust me. I want you to be able to see what I see; the way I see you," Elsa said, lowering the camera for a moment and reaching over to cup Honeymaren's cheek, turning her head back toward her and planting a soft kiss upon her lips, "You're beautiful. Won't you let me show you that?"

A faint blush crept across Honeymaren's cheeks and she rolled her eyes, feigning a sigh of exasperation. "If you insist, my queen." Then she leaned back and did her best to resume how she'd been posed when Elsa first told her to stay put, making a show of indulging her whims.

Elsa rubbed her chin in consideration for a moment, then formed a rectangle with her thumbs and index fingers, creating a little frame and looking at Maren through it. She reached over to gently place a couple fingers under Honeymaren's chin and tilt her head up slightly more.

"Ah-ha," Elsa said with a satisfied nod, "There we go."

Then she lifted the camera and looked down into the viewfinder, checking to see that everything was lined up the way she wanted. Once she was satisfied, she pushed the shutter switch with an audible ' _ ka-chack _ .' Elsa hadn't used the camera many times, but she'd read the instructions and it seemed simple enough. She waited for a few moments, then turned a small crank on the side of the housing until a small rectangle of glossy paper came out through a slot.

She set the camera aside and held the piece of paper in both of her palms and waited, watching the surface of it darken as details and outlines started to form, a mirrored image in black and white. She blew on it gently to help the rest of the etching chemicals evaporate, and Honeymaren scooted closer to her, leaning over and resting her chin on Elsa's shoulder as she watched the picture take shape.

What appeared on the paper was a relatively convincing image of Honeymaren from the chest up. The focus was a little off, and Honeymaren hadn't been looking directly at Elsa when she took the picture. But the rest of the same details that had inspired Elsa were all still there. The moonlight on Honeymaren's skin, the softness of her hair, the individual freckles that dotted her cheeks and shoulders.

"See?" Elsa said, butting her head against Maren's lightly, "Beautiful."

"Mmmm," Honeymaren hummed, lifting a hand to grab the photograph and examine it, "Interesting. It's different than seeing yourself reflected in water. Looks a bit dramatic without any color, though."

"And you aren't?"

"Pfft, I think I know someone who's dramatic enough for the both of us," Maren said, nuzzling against Elsa's neck and planting a kiss there while also giving her a couple pats on the head.

"Very funny," Elsa drawled, leaning away and turning around to face Honeymaren again, lifting the camera, "Let me take another, I want to make some adjustments this time."

"I have a better idea," Honeymaren said as her hands shot out and attacked Elsa's sides, going right for her weakest points and instantly sending her into a fit of giggles. She squealed tried to get away, but Maren was too fierce. Elsa flailed her arms uselessly, and in the process, Maren managed to snatch the camera out of her hand. The tickle-barrage ceased and Elsa rubbed away the tears of laughter in her eyes, but then realized that she'd been utterly played when she noticed the camera was missing.

"Your turn," Maren said in a surly tone as she lifted the device and copied the movements Elsa had made to use it before.

"Ah! Hey, no fair!" Elsa said and dove forward, arm outstretched to try and grab the camera back but–

_ CLICK _ .

Too late. Honeymaren lifted the camera up beyond Elsa's reach and caught her while she was off balance, wrapping her free arm around Elsa's waist and pulling her closer in one smooth motion. Elsa landed on top of Honeymaren as they flopped back down into the blankets and furs. She gave a throaty chuckle, causing Elsa's head to bounce lightly upon her chest. Elsa looked up and shot a pouty look at Maren, but soon found herself smiling and laughing along. It was a silent, but small reminder for her to stop taking herself so seriously. Honeymaren always found the simplest and most effective ways to disarm her and put her at ease.

Elsa propped herself with both arms, the skin of her torso and chest still pressed against the warmth of Honeymaren's own. Elsa leaned down over her, hair spilling around the sides of her face, then pressed her lips to Honeymaren's. Gently, but intently. Elsa placed her hands on Maren's cheeks and deepened the kiss, hoping that the unspoken meaning of it was clear.

The meaning of the words she knew so well--in two different languages now--but still often felt too shy to say out loud even when they were alone together like this.

Honeymaren opened her eyes and glanced up at Elsa, giving her the same exact smile she'd first seen on the day they met. Confident, comforting, and warm. It never failed to make something deep within Elsa's chest feel like it was slowly dissolving. Melting, even.

Elsa took the camera back, shifting off Honeymaren and nestling up beside her instead. She turned the small crank on the side and it spat out another rectangle of paper. Though she felt a little embarrassed, she remembered she didn't have any recent photographs of herself, so she was curious to see how she looked now.

The photo was chaotic, but surprisingly clear. Her hand took up most of the frame and she was rolling her eyes right in the moment as she tried to snatch the camera back. Her hair was loose and wavy from being kept in a braid during the day. The moonlight made her skin look ethereally pale in the picture, almost like she herself was glowing. Elsa thought it was oddly fitting in a way, considering her powers.

"I look ridiculous," she said quietly, resting her head in the crook of Honeymaren's neck and holding the photo up in the air above for both of them to see.

"You look like you," Honeymaren cradled the back of Elsa's head with her hand and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"What am I, then?" Elsa asked as she dropped the picture and wrapped her arms around Honeymaren, snuggling in closer.

"Beautiful." Honeymaren said after a moment of silence. Elsa felt a warmth spread over her body that made her wonder–if she could have seen herself through Honeymaren's eyes at that moment–whether she was truly glowing.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this fic based entirely upon a couple of polaroid-style pics that [Sage](http://soligenas.tumblr.com) drew of [Elsa](https://i.imgur.com/1pDMYeA.png) and [Honeymaren](https://i.imgur.com/ZeOipFf.png). I thought they told a great story that I wanted to bring to life.
> 
> For those of you unfamiliar with vintage camera equipment, Elsa's camera [looks something like this](https://sgwproductimages.azureedge.net/8/11-21-2019/302783121135219cmer.JPG). Yes, I am aware these couldn't actually print out photos and that instant film didn't exist until 1948.  
> I have artistic license here, sue me.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed these two sappy ladies being obscenely cute.
> 
> * * *
> 
> A big gay thank-you to [buttons](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buttons15/pseuds/spookyscaryskeletons) and Lena for beta-reading this one.


End file.
